As sport programmes focus on economic empowerment, it is useful to incorporate a competency-based model of leadership development within the programme design. A common organisational design and learning tool used in business, the competency-based model defines the knowledge, skills, abilities and personal characteristics and qualities needed for success in a particular job. Specific roles created within a sport programme can get girls job-ready, prepare them for entrepreneurship or help them to apply for further education or training. Viewing the skills and qualities needed to fulfil leadership roles as job competencies for future employment will smooth that transition.
Transferable skills can be any skills that will help girls and young women be successful in the workplace, run their own business or pursue higher education. Learning and practicing these skills on the pitch and in the context of their sport programme will help them better use the skills in other parts of their lives.
Developmental opportunities are learning experiences that enable a girl to set goals and build the transferable skills required to succeed in a role. These developmental opportunities can be tied to more formal leadership roles but can also be non-formal opportunities that give girls a chance to develop and practice skills like punctuality, managing a team or small group, negotiating etc. Sport programmes rely on practice sessions to prepare for competition and, as such, are well suited to the integration of learning and developmental opportunities for leadership and economic empowerment.
To see an example of how transferable skills can be mapped to the different LEEP levels, see the Transferable Skills for Employment and Entrepreneurship section of this guide.